Thursday, March 19, 2015

Thursday Thoughts # 38

from Ghost Story-a Harry Dresden novel by Jim Butcher" The mad rarely know that they are mad. It's the rest of the world that seems insane to them."

"Theoretically", I said to myself. "Right. So test the theory."Well, obviously. Although discussing a problem with yourself is almost never a good way to secure a divergent viewpoint."I may have had good reasons. I may have had the best of intentions. But intentions aren't enough, no matter how good they are. Intentions can lead you to a place where you're able to make a choice. It's the choice that counts."today's thoughtsMy cat, Angel, lives mostly in my closed in back porch. He loves it out there.

here he is on top of his tower, about a foot above my head. at the other end of the porch is a high, barred gate which has been covered with insect screen for several years now. Mostly to keep out whichever local cat was marking his territory on my kitchen cabinet, which lives out there because there isn't room inside for it.

this is it; but look closer, there's something new.

sturdier wire mesh panels which I went out and bought this morning, see the finer insect screen behind it? I left that in place to stop at least a few of the flying creepy-crawlies.

wired to the poles of the gate with galvanised wire coated in pvc. I had a friend do this for me, took a couple of hours. Doing it myself would have taken all day and half the night.Why did I buy the wire mesh and have it installed?Here's why>>>>

see that hole torn into the insect screen?

My precious Devil Angel did this and got outside. Outside! Where the dangers are.At about 2.30am on Monday night, some yowling and growling coming from the back porch woke me and I went to investigate.

Angel had gone out through that hole and was facing off with a neighbour cat, a territorial little bugger who thinks he owns the area. Only a few inches outside the gate, they were almost nose to nose and I could see Angel wasn't quite sure how to handle this, he looked and sounded a little scared. I squirted the other cat with water from my handy spray bottle and as he ran away, Angel scooted back into the porch.

I spent the next half hour blocking off that hole with anything I could find that was heavy, built up quite a barricade. but I couldn't sleep properly, knowing Angel was still trying to get out again.I could hear him scratching at the barricade.Last night to keep him safe, I closed the back door to the porch and kept Angel inside. He wasn't happy, but eventually went to sleep, allowing me to sleep. Several times. It was a wake-sleep-wake-sleep routine. (*~*)

This morning, I went to Bunnings (hardware and garden store) to buy the wire mesh panels.Ha ha, let him try and get out now!

Andrew; it isn't as strong as it looks. but the new wire mesh is sturdy, it's that stuff people make guinea pig cages out of.

Delores; he's managed to sneak out a few times while I'm hanging the washing and really enjoyed all the exciting new smells he found before I spotted him and shooed him inside. I pull the gate shut when I'm out there, but it doesn't latch unless I lock it and sometimes the wind has blown it open.

Joanne; no street smarts at all, but he lives inside so doesn't really need any. His face is lovely, but you should see his coat in the sunshine, the tawny parts really glow beautifully. I've seen it when he has snuck out during the day when I'm hanging the washing.

JahTeh; the intruder lives next door and loves to lie on my front porch in the sun, while Angel lies inside the door and watches him with twitching tail. If he was an outside cat, I think Angel would be quite a fighter.

Snoskred; I didn't buy enough to properly cover the door, so the top third had plastic garden mesh until I can get back to Bunnings.

Elephant's Child; i was late myself this morning, I thought I had scheduled this for 1am but it didn't go up until 9am. I imagine Angel would be more territorial if he were an outside cat, as it is the short hair burmese from next door thinks he owns the grounds, that's why he bailed up Angel as soon as Angel got outside. I'm glad I heard them before it came to a fight.

I love sharing the planet with people like you... responsible pet owners. Cat's get such a bad rap and what infuriates me about that is it's not their fault. If they are left to their own devices and out at night they will hunt because they are nocturnal animals and naturally predatory. They can't distinguish between threatened native wildlife and introduced species... they just hunt. ALL cats should be desexed and, if outdoors they should wear collars with bells and be in at night (between dusk and dawn)... I would have loved to have had my Max as an indoor cat but never had the opportunity to have an enclosure and he was used to being an outdoor cat when I rescued him. However, he is always in at night... for his own safety and that of our native wildlife.I'm glad your heard Angel and are actually quite lucky the other cat was there for them to have that stand-off otherwise Angel could have snuck away quietly and gotten in goodness knows what trouble. I'm sure your mesh will do the trick >(*!*)<